Collar clasp



R. P. BORST Oct. 23, 1951 COLLAR CLASP Filed March 7, 1950 FIG-1.1.

19 FIG. 2. PM

PIC-3.4.

IN V EN TOR.

RE NALD P. BORST ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 23, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE COLLAR CLASP Reginald P. Borst, Washington, D. C. 7

Application March 7, 1950, Serial No. 148,092

2 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to improvements in collar clasps, and moreparticularly to a collar clasp having manually operable means forseparating the clasping jaws to facilitate correct positioning of theclasp on the collar.

One object is to provide a collar clasp having a'flexible bar membercapable of being manipulated with one hand to separate the clamping jawportions of the clasp and permit the jaws to clampingly engage thecollar wings when'released.

Another object is to provide a collar clasp in which the rear bar memberis formed of yielding spring material having a finger engaging portionarranged such that when pressure is manually applied to said fingerengaging portion the clamping jaws of said collar clasp will separatefor insertion of the collar'wings.

Another object is to provide a collar clasp in which the rear bar memberis supported at spaced apart locations to provide a pair of fulcrumpoints about which the end portions of the bar rock when pressure ismanually applied to the central portion of said bar, resulting in theflexing of the end portions or clamping jaw members of said bar memberin a direction away from the front bar member.

Another object is to provide a collar clasp in which the front barmember is provided with a pair of spaced apart studs for supporting therear or flexible clamping bar member and to provide pin and slotconnections between said front and rear bar members to permit flexing ofsaid rear bar member without binding.

Another object is to provide a collar clasp which can be convenientlyand quickly applied with one hand, thus leaving the remaining hand freeto hold the collar and tie in its correct position.

" Another object is to provide a collar clasp which can be easily andeconomically manufactured and which is constructed of comparatively fewparts to become out of adjustment.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following description of the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view showing one of the heads of thesupporting studs broken away to illustrate the pin and slot connection.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken on line 33 ofFigure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows and illustrating variousstructural details.

rection of the arrows and showing the manner in which the end portionsof the flexible clamp-.

ing bar are provided with projections or protuberances to frictionallyengage the surface of the collar fabric.

Figure 7 is a rear elevational view of a modifiecl form of the inventionshowing the flexible clamping rear bar slidably mounted and sup portedon a pair of spaced apart lugs on the'front I clasp bar and Figure 8 isa side elevational view of. the modified form of the invention shown inFigure '7 having a portion in section to illustrate the manner in whichthe rear clamping bar is attached to the front clasp bar.

In the drawing, and more in detail, attention is directed to Figures 1to 6 inclusive wherein for the purpose of convenience of illustrationthere is shown a collar clasp generally designated 5 having a slightlybowed front bar 6 formed of metal having a suitable design on the frontsurface thereof.

Mounted on and intermediate the ends of the front bar 6 of the collarclasp is a pair of spaced studs 1 which are anchored in openings 8 byupsetting one of the ends of each as at 9 to form head portionscountersunk in counterbored portions of the openings 8. Each of thestuds 1 is provided with an annular enlarged portion H! which seatsagainst the rear surface of the front clasp bar 6 and cooperates withthe upset head portions 9 to securely anchor said studs in position(Fig. 3).

The free ends of the studs-are reduced in. diameter to providerelatively short pin portions l I and said pin portions are providedwith enlarged heads l2 which can be formed by upsetting the ends with asuitable upsetting tool.

A rear clamping bar I4 is supported by the studs 1 and said clamping baris provided with an intermediate finger engaging portion 15 and collarengaging portions l6 which are connected to the intermediate fingerengaging portion I5 by slightly offset portions H. The rear clamping baris formed of yielding spring metal to cause the collar engaging portions16 to normally be yieldingly urged in a direction toward the ends of thefront bowed collar clasp bar 6. The pin portions ll are adapted to bereceived in elongated slots l9 formed in the rear clamping bar 14 toprovide a pair of spaced apart pin and slot connections between thefront collar clasp bar 6 and the rear or flexible collar clamping bar M(Fig. 5). It is to be noted, the slots 19 are spaced such that theadjacent ends engage the pin portions ll of the studs so that endwiseplay of said rear clamping bar will be prevented, but yet permit theintermediate finger engaging portion IE to be manually flexed toseparate the collar engaging ends [6, or move the same in the directionof the arrows (Figs. 3) away from the corresponding ends of front barmember 6.

The free ends l6 of the flexible clamping bar 14 are bent slightly as at20 in a direction away from the front bar 6 to facilitate easy entranceI of the collar tabs, and a series of protuberances 22 are formedadjacent said ends to frictionally engage the fabric of the collar towhich the clasp is-applied.

vIn operation, the front of the bowed bar 6 and the finger engagingportion 15 of the rear or flexible bar M are grasped between the thumband index finger such that pressure can be applied to the fingerengaging portion 15 to move the same in a direction toward the front bar6. As pressure is thus applied, the free end portions I6 of the rearflexible clamping bar I4 will separate from the corresponding ends ofthe front or bowed bar 6 a sufiicient distance to permit the separatedjaw portions to be slipped over the collar tabs or wings of a collarwith each clamping jaw i5 engaging one of .said collar wings or tabs.After the collar clasp has been properl placed in position beneath thetie, the pressure of the finger engaging portion l5 can be released sothat the free ends I6 of the clamping bar 14 will frictionally andtightly grip the collar tabs or wings.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figures '7 and 8, thefront bar 6a of the collar clasp is slightly bowed and .formed ofsemirigid metal and if desired, the front surface can be provided with adesign to enhance the appearance of the collar clasp. The free endportions of the bar 6a provide stationary jaw members in substantiallythe same manner as the end portions of the front bar 6 shown anddescribed in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive. Secured to the rear surface ofthe front bar 6a is apair of spaced apart lugs or projections To whichare positioned to extend in a slightly converging direction and saidprojections are provided with alined slots 9a for slidably receiving arear flexible clamping bar 4a. The intermediate portion of the flexibleclamping bar Ma is provided with a relatively straight finger engagingportion |5a and the free ends are slightly curved in 'a direction towardthe front collar clasp bar 'Ga as at 'l'la to form clamping jaw portionsl6a.

Formed on the yielding clamping'bar Ma ad- -jacent:each of theprojections la is a protuberance 19a which is normally in contact withits corresponding projection la to prevent endwise sliding movement ofthe yielding clamping bar Ma. Thus, the yielding clamping bar Ma isretained against displacement but is free to be flexed when pressure isexerted on the finger engaging portion !5a to separate the collarengaging jaw portions lBa as before.

It is to be noted, that the rounded surfaces of the protuberances 16aengage the projections 1a so that when pressure is applied to the fingerengaging portion [5a the .bar Ma twill :flex about these two points andthe protuberances lSa will move away from 'said projections a slightdis- 'tance.

It is to be understood, that the forms of the invention herewith shownand described are to be taken as preferred embodiments thereof, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts can beresorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

Iclaim:

1. A collar clasp, comprising a pair of elongated bar members arrangedin parallel spaced apart relation, one of said bar members being formedof yielding spring material and having its end portions bent tocooperate with the ends of the other bar member and formgripping jawsateach end of the collar clasp to frictionally grip the wings of .ashirt collar, said :bar member being provided with spaced elongatedslots and spaced apart headed pin members carried by the intermediaterear portion of said other bar member adapted to be received insaidslotsto provide .a pin and slot connection .between said bar members, wherebypressure .exerted .on said yielding bar member betweensaid connectingmeans will urge the end portions thereof away from said other barmember.

2. A collar clasp, comprising a .pair .ef elongated bar members arranged.in parallel spaced apart relation, one .of .said her members .beingformed of yielding spring material and havingits ends bent toward theother bar member to .cooperate therewith and form yielding frictiongripping jaws and a pair of studs secured to [the intermediate portionof said other bar member in spaced apart relation, .saidstuds providedwith pin portions having heads on .the .ends thereof, and said yieldingspring bar being provided with spaced apart slots .for receiving saidpin portions and providing pin and slot connections between said barmembers, whereby pressure exerted on the intermediate portion of saidyielding spring bar member will .urge the free end ,portions outwardlyaway from said other bar member.

REGINALD P. BORST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,347,983 Anderson July 27, 19201,408,290 Guidry Feb. 28, 1922 1,942,904 Schoonmaker Jan.'9, 1934

